It is very important for ground troops, and other military personnel, to be able to distinguish between various types of aerial targets, as well as to have realistic practice in bringing down the targets by small arms fire or the like. RS Systems of Beltsville, Md., has developed a wide variety of aerial targets that fit this need for planes, however heretofore a realistic helicopter target has not been provided.
In order for a device to be practically utilized as a target, it must be expendable; that is it must be able to be produced commercially at a relatively low cost (e.g. less than one thousand U.S. 1987 dollars). Yet, at the same time it must accurately simulate a helicopter, including having a rotating main blade assembly, so that it will be effective as a target, and will give those taking target practice the ability to distinguish it from other types of helicopters. That is, the helicopter simulation must be accurate enough so that the military personnel can learn to distinguish between relatively similar friendly and foe helicopters.
According to the present invention, a target helicopter is provided that meets all the necessary criteria for a helicopter target. It is expendable, being able to be produced at a relatively low cost (e.g. less than one thousand U.S. 1987 dollars). It presents a very realistic three-dimensional visual representation of a real helicopter, and is also capable of performing flight patterns that will be encountered in combat (that is simulating the flight of a helicopter).
While the target according to the invention is capable of simulating any helicopter having stub wings, it is particularly desirable for use in the simulation of the Hind D, one of the most effective Soviet combat helicopters. Of course simulation of the U.S. Apache helicopter also may be provided so that military personnel can learn to easily distinguish between foe and friendly helicopters.
The target according to the invention comprises a wheel less, hand launchable remote controlled autogyro. By providing a particularly constructed autogyro, helicopter simulation (both visual and flight pattern) may be provided while allowing inexpensive production since the production of an actual target helicopter would be extraordinarily expensive, and such a target would be very difficult to effectively control by conventional remote control mechanisms. While the target according to the invention simulates the combat flight of a helicopter, it is essentially as easy to control as a conventional remote controlled target plane, such as those manufactured by RS Systems.
The autogyro of the invention has a fuselage section which simulates the fuselage of a helicopter with stub wings. Preferably, the autogyro has a single, only aerodynamically controlled, fixed angle shaft rotor assembly. If there is a necessity for pre-rotation of the rotor to assist in launching, the shaft may be made rotatable and gearing means provided with it to allow for pre-rotation utilizing a hand drill or other common power source, to effect the initial rotation while allowing easy disengagement of the power source from the shaft, and hand launching.
The remote controlled flying target according to the invention includes a fuselage section simulating a helicopter and having fore and aft portions, a rotor, a remote controlled engine for powering the target through the air, a horizontal stabilizer (preferably with elevators), and a pair of wings operatively connected to the fuselage section and extending outwardly therefrom, each wing having an air foil. The rotor includes a rotor shaft upstanding from the fuselage and attached to a rotor head. The rotor shaft is tilted aft a fixed angle of about 5.degree.-10.degree.. The rotor head includes air foil blades having a negative pitch angle between about 3.degree.-7.degree., and preferably having a conning angle also between about 3.degree.-9.degree.. Remote control elevator and roll and yaw structures are provided, and all of the elements comprising the target are constructed so that the target is capable of flight simulating the combat flight of a helicopter, while the device is useful as an expendable target.
In order to ensure that the target craft is stable and pulled forward through the air, in addition to the rotor being tilted about 5.degree. aft, the engine--which is at the fore of the fuselage--is disposed at a downthrust angle of between about 5.degree.-12.degree. (e.g. 10.degree.) with respect to a line of horizontal movement of the helicopter. Further, the incidence of the horizontal stabilizer, at the rear of the target, is about 3.degree.-10.degree. (e.g. 7.degree.) to the horizontal line of flight.
The rotor is preferably disposed at about the center of lift of the wings, and the wings preferably have a span of between about 50-60 percent the length of the fuselage, so that the wings provide sufficient lift but do not significantly detract from the overall helicopter simulation the target provides.
The wings preferably have ailerons, and the tail is provided having a rudder. The ailerons and rudder are operatively linked together to cooperate to provide effective right or left roll and yaw control. A very simple remote control device may be utilized, including a throttle control for the engine and a joy stick for controlling the elevators, the roll, and yaw.
As previously mentioned, not only is the target according to the invention capable of flight simulating combat flight of a helicopter, but it is hand launchable. Also it may be recovered after use if not shot down (or was used in a tracking or indoctrination session), and reused.
It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an effective helicopter simulating, expendable target. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention, and from the appended claims.